Gas storage and dispensing system for variable conductance dispensing of gas at constant flow rate

ABSTRACT

A gas supply system arranged for dispensing of gas at a predetermined flow rate. The system employs a gas dispensing flow circuitry arranged for dispensing gas at selectively variable gas flow conductance conditions, to maintain the flow rate of the dispensed gas at a predetermined, e.g., constant, value in the operation of the system. The gas dispensing flow circuitry may include an array of dispensed gas flow passages, each of a differing conductance, or alternatively a variable conductance gas flow passage equipped with a variable conductance assembly for modulating the gas flow conductance of the passage, in response to sensed pressure of the gas or other system parameter. The system permits the flow rate of a dispensed gas to be maintained at a consistent desired level, despite the progressive decline in source gas pressure as the gas source vessel is depleted in use.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/321,757 filedDec. 17, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,202 in the name of W. Karl Olanderfor “GAS STORAGE AND DISPENSING SYSTEM FOR VARIABLE CONDUCTANCEDISPENSING OF GAS AT CONSTANT FLOW RATE.” Priority of said U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/321,757 is hereby claimed under 35 USC 120. Thedisclosure of said U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/321,757 is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety, for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a gas storage and dispensing systemarranged for variable conductance dispensing of gas at predetermined,e.g., constant flow rate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

In the use of gas storage and dispensing systems for compressedhigh-pressure gases, the risk of using compressed gases is nominallyproportional to the pressure of the stored gas inventory. Gas cylindersare typically filled to pressures ranging from a few hundred psigto >1500 psig. The force acting to discharge the stored contents islarger as the pressure increases and hence the risk is elevated.

In calculating the risk factors associated with the use of compressedgases by Fault Tree Analysis, minimizing the consequence term for anevent is critical. If the conditions for a gas release should occur, itis fundamentally important that the gas storage and dispensing systemdesign minimize the release rate, particularly where the gas is of atoxic or otherwise hazardous character.

A common practice in current use of high-pressure gas cylinders is toemploy a restrictive flow orifice (RFO) inserted into the throat of thecylinder, downstream of the cylinder valve. A small orifice—typicallyabout 0.010″ in diameter—creates a pressure drop and limits the gas flowthat can be discharged from the cylinder. The RFO diameter therebyeffectively limits and determines the maximum discharge rate (as a worstcase gas release event) for any gas and pressure combination.

For example, in the case of a conventional compressed gas cylinderholding silane gas at 800 psig, an RFO having a diameter of 0.010″limits the gas discharge rate to nominally 1 standard cubic foot of gasper minute (scfm) (=30 standard liters per minute (slpm)). Without thisRFO, the maximum discharge rate could be 20 times higher, withpotentially catastrophic results (due to the toxicity and pyrophoriccharacter of silane).

As a result of the foregoing considerations, it has become standardpractice for compressed gas cylinders to have RFOs in instances when thecontained gases are hazardous in character.

Such RFOs, however, have the fundamental deficiency that they inhibitgas flow as the pressure of the remaining gas in the compressed gascylinder decreases with continued dispensing of gas from the cylinder.The diameter of the RFO is selected as a compromise between limiting themagnitude and/or consequences of an incidental gas release and beingable to withdraw the contents of compressed gas from the high-pressuregas cylinder at a suitable rate for the intended use of the gas (takinginto account the pressure drop associated with gas flow through theorifice). For example, the RFO diameter may be selected to provide amaximum discharge rate that is a predetermined multiple of the averageuse rate of gas that is dispensed from the compressed gas cylinder.

In many semiconductor manufacturing operations, the maximum compressedgas cylinder discharge rate is 3-10× times the gas usage rate requiredby the manufacturing process. By way of illustration, silane gas from acompressed gas cylinder may be used in a semiconductor manufacturingfacility at an average rate of 1-6 slpm, with a worst case release rateof silane gas from the cylinder of 30 slpm. Given the hazardous natureof silane and many other gases used in semiconductor processing,matching the maximum discharge rate to the use requirement, by choice ofan appropriate diameter RFO, is a safe and effective practice.

However, considering the illustrative compressed silane gas cylinder infurther detail, as cylinder pressures are increased, the worst caserelease rates (utilizing a 0.010″ orifice diameter RFO) successivelychange to 2.50 scfm, 1.97 scfm and 1.51 scfm as the internal gaspressure varies from 1500 psig to 1200 psig to 1000 psig, respectively.The large worst case release rates associated with high pressures thusdisincentivizes the use of larger fill densities and higher pressures.

When maximum instantaneous use rates of gas dispensed from thecompressed gas cylinder are high (e.g., in a 4-6 slpm range), flowcannot be sustained through an RFO at high cylinder pressures (e.g.,pressures on the order of 125-175 psig, for the aforementioned use ratesof silane), and the cylinders under such conditions appear empty. Thisinability of the RFO-equipped compressed gas cylinder to provide flow ofgas at desired use rates when the gas inventory of the cylinder hasdeclined, results in residual gas in the cylinder being unavailable tothe end use process at the desired process pressure, and remainingunused in the cylinder. This residual gas (termed a “heel”) in manyinstances may be more than ten percent of the original gas inventory ofthe cylinder. Such levels of heels are costly, since the gas usertypically is charged for the full gas fill of the cylinder, even thoughthe residuum is unable to be dispensed from the cylinder, and the gascompany to whom the vessel is subsequently returned for reclamation willremove the residual gas from the vessel and destroy it. The residual gasthereby is wasted, and at the same time, additional time, effort andexpense are involved in removing the significant residual gas volumesfrom the used cylinder.

In sum, while the use of RFO devices in conjunction with high pressuregas cylinders has provided a marked enhancement in operational safety ofsuch gas supply systems, this safety enhancement also entails theassociated deficiencies of increased heels of residual gas in thecompressed gas cylinder, and inability to maintain flow rate andpressure at desired operational set point values when the amount of gasin the compressed gas cylinder declines to a low inventory level.

It would therefore be a significant advance in the art to provide acompressed gas storage and dispensing system that overcomes theaforementioned deficiencies of the prior art, and enables continuousdispensing of gas from a compressed gas cylinder at desired set pointvalues of flow rate, even when the cylinder gas inventory is at lowlevels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a gas storage and dispensingsystem arranged for flow control of the dispensed gas at predetermined,e.g., constant, flow rate, and to an associated method of dispensinggas, e.g., for applications such as semiconductor manufacturingoperations.

In one aspect, the invention relates to a gas supply system arranged fordispensing of gas at predetermined flow rate, comprising a gas sourcevessel and gas dispensing flow circuitry coupled to said vessel, whereinthe gas dispensing flow circuitry is arranged for dispensing gas atselectively variable gas flow conductance conditions, to maintain saidpredetermined flow rate of the dispensed gas in the operation of thesystem.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of dispensing gasat predetermined flow rate from a gas source vessel, comprisingdispensing said gas under selectively variable gas flow conductanceconditions, wherein gas flow conductance is selectively varied duringdispensing to maintain said predetermined, e.g., constant, flow rate ofthe dispensed gas in the operation of the system.

Other aspects, features and embodiments of the invention will be morefully apparent from the ensuing disclosure and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a gas supply system according toone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a variable flow conductanceaperture assembly according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a top plan view of the variableconductance flow aperture assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a variable size flow apertureassembly according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a variable size flow apertureassembly according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a variable size flow apertureassembly according to still another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of a gas storage and dispensing systemaccording to another embodiment of the invention, as partially brokenaway to show the details of the interior components of the gas storageand dispensing vessel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS THEREOF

The present invention is based on the discovery that the deficiencies ofthe prior art may be efficiently overcome by the use of variable-sizeorifice devices, which are selectively adjustable to vary the flowconductance of the orifice, and thereby modulate the flow of gas from acompressed gas vessel in a manner achieving desired flow rate ofdispensed gas, even when the cylinder is in a low gas inventory statewhere the prior art RFO-equipped cylinders have been unable to function.

The invention therefore substantially reduces the heels of gas inventorywhen the compressed gas cylinder is “depleted,” i.e., unable to furtherdeliver gas at the desired set point flow rate, after ongoing use of thevessel to supply such gas at set point flow rate levels.

The variable size orifice device in the practice of the presentinvention may be of any suitable form and type, which provides theability to selectively vary the size of a gas flow passage through whichthe compressed gas dispensed from the gas supply vessel is flowed duringthe dispensing operation. The size of the gas flow passage is preferablyselectively adjustable in a plane transverse (generally perpendicularto) the flow direction of the dispensed gas.

The invention may be varied widely in structure and operation, as willbe more fully apparent from the ensuing disclosure. For example, thevariable size flow passage may include an adjustable size orificeelement, disposed in a gas conduit joined to the gas supply vessel, sothat the transverse dimension of the lumen presented to the dispensedgas is adjusted in correspondence to the pressure level of the dispensedgas.

The size-adjusting means for the flow passage may be widely varied inthe broad practice of the invention, and may for example include,without limitation: (i) a shutter aperture assembly in which blades orvanes are selectively translated relative to one another to vary thesize of the aperture opening; (ii) flow circuitry including an array offlow passages, each having a different gas flow conductance, e.g., anarray of flow passages, all except one of which contains a restrictedflow orifice of a fixed and different diameter and one of which containsno restriction therein, with the array of flow passages being arrangedfor selective flow of dispensed gas from the gas supply vessel throughone of such array of flow passages whose flow conductance yields apredetermined flow rate; (iii) an expandable occlusive element, arrangedto expand responsively to the pressure of the dispensed gas so as tocorrespondingly partially occlude a passage through which the dispensedgas is flowed, to an extent proportional to pressure of the dispensedgas; (iv) an extensible occlusive element, arranged to extendresponsively to the pressure of the dispensed gas so as tocorrespondingly partially occlude a passage through which the dispensedgas is flowed, to an extent proportional to pressure of the dispensedgas; and (v) a displaceable occlusive element, arranged to extendresponsively to the pressure of the dispensed gas so as tocorrespondingly partially occlude a passage through which the dispensedgas is flowed, to an extent proportional to pressure of the dispensedgas.

An illustrative variable flow orifice device useful in the practice ofthe present invention is the Pneutronics VSO voltage sensitive orificeproportional solenoid valve, commercially available from PneutronicsDivision of Parker Hannifin Corporation, Hollis, N.H. The PneutronicsVSO valve is a miniature solenoid operated proportional valve thatcontrols gas flow in proportion to input current to the valve. Such avalve can therefore be deployed in a flow line, e.g., of a gasdispensing assembly or a manifold joined to the gas supply vessel, andactuated with an actuating signal generated by a pressure transducermeasuring relevant pressure of the dispensed gas.

The pressure sensor (transducer) can for such purpose be arranged in thevalve head of the gas cylinder from which gas is selectively dispensed,or in the flow circuitry upstream of the variable orifice proportionalsolenoid valve when the valve is deployed in a downstream portion of theflow circuitry. Alternatively, the pressure sensor or pressure monitorcan be mounted inside the gas storage and dispensing vessel, andgenerate a control signal that is transmitted to the variable orificeproportional solenoid valve, to vary the orifice opening dimension andthereby responsively modulate the valve to maintain a predetermined,e.g., constant, flow rate of gas from the gas supply system.

In this manner, the flow conductance of the variable orifice element ismodulated in a manner correlative to the change in pressure withcontinued dispensing of gas from the gas supply system. For suchpurpose, the pressure sensor can be a pressure transducer that generatesa current signal or other suitable actuating signal that is indicativeof or correlative to the dispensed gas pressure detected by the sensor,and is transmitted to the variable orifice valve. The variable orificeproportional valve can for example be driven by a DC current from thepressure transducer, or by pulse width modulation (PWM), and may bevariable in orifice diameter as necessary or desirable in a givenapplication. For example, the variable orifice valve can be arranged toprovide an orifice opening of a diameter in a range of from about 0.010inch (0.254 mm) to about 0.065 inch (1.651 mm), with the gas flow ratesettable to a value in a range of from about 0.05 standard liters perminute to about 40 standard liters per minute.

In one embodiment, the variable orifice proportional valve is arrangedin a pressure controller circuit containing a comparator circuit coupledwith the variable orifice proportional valve and with a pressuretransducer monitoring the pressure of the dispensed gas from the gassupply vessel. The pressure transducer is monitored by the comparatorcircuit and communicates to the variable orifice proportional valve thesensed variation in the pressure, so that the valve is opened or closedto an extent necessary to maintain the gas flow rate constant orotherwise at a predetermined value.

In another embodiment, a gas storage and dispensing vessel may beprovided in which a pressure transducer and the variable conductanceflow controlling orifice element, such as the aforementioned variableorifice proportional valve, can both be disposed interiorly in the gasstorage and dispensing vessel, to modulate the orifice opening dimensionas the gas is progressively depleted during dispensing thereof from thevessel, i.e., so that the vessel is self-actuating to dispense aconstant flow rate of gas regardless of the gas inventory or pressurelevel in the interior volume of the vessel.

By way of specific example, if the flow rate of gas flowed from a gassupply vessel initially at 400 psig interior pressure to a semiconductormanufacturing tool is desired to be maintained at ˜0.5 standard cubicfeet per minute (SCFM), then the orifice opening dimension can be variedwith interior vessel gas pressure to maintain a substantially constantdispensed gas flow rate, as shown in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Orifice Diameter and Vessel Pressure for Gas Flow of ~0.5 SCFMVariable Orifice Actual Dispensed Gas Vessel Device Opening Gas FlowPressure, psig Dimension, inches Rate, SCFM 400 0.010 0.480 200 0.0140.465 100 0.020 0.497

Table 1 shows that each of the pressure/orifice dimension combinationsachieves very close to the same dispensed gas flow rate, even though thepressure of the contained gas in the vessel declines by a factor of 4,because the area of the orifice opening is corresponding changed (a0.020 inch orifice diameter yields an opening area of 0.000314 squareinches; a 0.014 inch orifice diameter yields an opening area of 0.000153square inches; and a 0.010 inch orifice diameter yields an opening areaof 0.000078 square inches).

Thus, the open area of the orifice varies by a factor of 4 in theillustrative example above, and the pressure correspondingly changes bya factor of 4 to achieve the same volumetric flow rate of gas across theorifice flow restriction.

The invention thus provides a constant flow gas supply vessel using avariable aperture/conductance device. The discharge pressure willnecessarily vary with continued dispensing of gas from the gas supplyvessel, as the pressure of the gas in the vessel decays over time. Inorder to maintain the gas pressure at a desired constant value asreceived by the gas-consuming unit or locus that is coupled in gas flowcommunication with the gas supply vessel, and at the same time maintainthe dispensed gas flow rate constant by means of the variable orificearrangement of the invention, a regulator can be employed in thedownstream flow circuitry from the gas supply vessel, to compensate fordeclining gas supply pressure by using the regulator to adjust thesupply pressure of the dispensed gas to a constant value.

The regulator can be suitably positioned in the flow circuitry in anyappropriate manner. For example, when the gas supply vessel is containedin a gas cabinet equipped with flow circuitry at least partially mountedto a gas panel in the cabinet, the regulator can be mounted on the gaspanel, as a component of the flow circuitry. As a further modification,a mass flow controller can be provided at the downstream gas-consumingtool or locus, to control the absolute delivery amount and rate of gasfeed to such tool or locus.

Although the preceding discussion has been directed to illustrativearrangements in which a pressure is monitored or sensed to produce asignal indicative of the pressure of the dispensed gas that can be usedto directly modulate the orifice element, it will be appreciated thatother arrangements may be employed in which the variable orifice elementmay be selectively modulated to maintain a predetermined gas flow rate.

Thus, in a broader aspect, the present invention contemplates thevariable conductance orifice device being of any suitable type andoperative character, and being actuated for modulation of the orificedimension in any manner that is effective to produce a predeterminedflow rate of gas from a gas storage and dispensing vessel. For example,the variable orifice element may be actuated in response to a cycle timecontroller, or by a control signal generated by a general-purposecomputer that is programmably arranged to vary the dimension of thevariable orifice element according to a predetermined gas flowrate-dispensing schedule. Such schedule can for example be fixed in anysuitable manner, e.g., based on the size and gas fill level of the gassupply vessel and/or parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure, flow rate,gas consumption rate, etc.) relating to the operation of a downstreamgas-consuming unit or locus joined in gas flow communication with thegas supply vessel via the interposed gas flow circuitry.

As another operating modality, an indirect measure of interior volumegas pressure in the gas supply vessel may be employed for purposes ofgenerating a correlative signal for actuating and modulating thevariable orifice element, to achieve a predetermined gas flow ratedispensing profile, e.g., a constant flow supply of gas throughout thedispensing operation. As an illustrative example of the use of such anindirect gas pressure-indicative characteristic for modulating thevariable orifice element, a strain gauge can be coupled to the wall ofthe gas supply vessel and arranged to generate an output correlative tothe sensed strain of the vessel wall. By this arrangement, the vesselwall strain indirectly reflects the pressure of the gas contained in thevessel, and the corresponding output reflecting the strain level, oralternatively the rate of change of the sensed strain, can be used tomodulate the variable orifice element to achieve the desired constantflow rate of dispensed gas.

The invention also contemplates the use of multiple concurrent oralternative inputs to modulate the variable orifice element. Forexample, two external inputs could be employed to adjust the setting ofthe aforementioned VSO valve, or other variable orifice element.

One such input could be generated by a strain gauge on the wall of thefluid storage and dispensing vessel, as discussed above, with thepressure-related output used to drive the orifice diameter adjustment.The use of strain gauges for generating output indicative of interiorpressure of a fluid storage and dispensing vessel is more fullydescribed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/783,919 filedFeb. 15, 2001 in the name of James V. McManus, et al. for “Fluid Storageand Dispensing System Featuring Ex Situ Strain Gauge Pressure MonitoringSystem,” the disclosure of which hereby is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

Another input for the adjustment of the orifice diameter can be based onthe weight of the vessel as measured during gas dispensing and used togenerate a corresponding control signal that is correlative withinterior pressure of the gas in the fluid storage and dispensing vessel.For example, the vessel containing gas to be dispensed can be disposedon a scale, with the weight reading correlating with pressure in thevessel and generating a signal that is used as an input to theaforementioned VSO valve, or other variable orifice element.

As a further variation, multiple concurrent pressure-related sensinginputs can be provided to a comparator circuit and a net signalgenerated to compensate for disparities between respectivepressure-related sensing inputs, or a computational module couldotherwise be employed to average or algorithmically manipulate datagenerated by multiple sensings or different sensing modalities, toprovide modulation of the variable orifice element in the gas dispensingsystem so that constant flow rate is maintained throughout the gasdispensing operation.

It will therefore be appreciated that the variable orifice (variableconductance) gas dispensing arrangement of the invention can beimplemented in any of numerous ways to provide a constant or otherwisepredetermined flow rate of gas from a gas supply vessel throughout thedispensing operation, so that the gas heel is minimized when the vesselis taken out of service for recharging or other disposition.

In a simple arrangement, the invention can be implemented with avariable diameter aperture in the gas flow path of a cylinder underpressure, with the aperture diameter being responsively adjustable tothe pressure level of the gas being dispensed from the compressed gascylinder. For example, if a desired flow rate of 2 slpm were needed, theinitial opening dimension of the variable-diameter aperture would berelatively small and the desired 2 slpm delivery rate of gas would bemaintained, from the initial high gas pressure condition of thecontained gas in the cylinder to the ultimate low pressure condition, byresponsively varying the diameter of the selectively adjustable diameteraperture, so that it is increased as the pressure decays during gasdischarge. At the ultimate low pressure condition of the contained gasin the cylinder, the aperture would be opened to a widest dimension, tofacilitate the dispensing operation at the desired flow rate despite thediminution in level of the cylinder pressure.

In operation, the variable-size aperture may be continuously adjusted,e.g., by automatic pressure monitoring and pressure-responsive apertureadjustment means, or the aperture sizing adjustment may be effected in astepwise fashion, depending on the cumulative period of operation of thegas cylinder, or on a sequential run basis, as desired in a specificend-use application of the invention. By means of the adjustment of thetransverse size of the flow passage of the dispensed gas, the gas flowconductance of the flow passage is selectively modulated to maintain thedesired set point pressure and flow rate operating conditions.

In order to actuate the variable flow conductance means employed in thepractice of the invention, the pressure of the dispensed gas may bemonitored and a correlative control signal generated for modulating thevariable flow conductance means to achieve a predetermined flow rate ofthe dispensed gas at the sensed dispensing pressure. Any suitablepressure sensing means may be employed, as for example: (i) a pressuretransducer; (ii) a manometric sensor coupled with optoelectronic meansfor generating a signal indicative of the manometrically sensedpressure; (iii) a pressure-responsive translational element, such as aflow stream impingement surface that is deflectionally translated to anextent determined by the magnitude of the pressure of the streamimpinging on it; (iv) a pressure-responsive colorimetric element whosespectral character is dependent on the magnitude of the dispensing gaspressure; (v) a physisorbing medium disposed on a surface acoustic wave(SAW) device, in which the physisorbing medium has a sorptive affinityfor the dispensed gas, arranged so that the extent of the physicaladsorption of the gas on the physisorbing medium is a calibratedfunction of pressure of the dispensing gas; etc.

The pressure of the dispensing gas may be sensed at a point immediatelyupstream of the variable flow conductance means, or the pressure may besensed at the gas supply vessel, e.g., by a pressure transducer disposedin a flow passage of the valve head of a compressed gas cylinder, or thepressure of the dispensed gas may be sensed at any other suitablelocation, and in any suitable manner.

In one embodiment, the variable flow conductance means include anadjustable aperture element disposed in a flow conduit joined to the gassupply vessel, and automatically or manually adjustable to provide aselected flow conductance in the conduit for maintenance of the flowrate of the dispensed gas at a constant or predetermined level duringthe dispense operation, even as the inventory of gas from the gas supplyvessel is being depleted.

The aperture element could be arranged so that the adjustable openingotherwise obtainable by the aperture element is completely closed duringshipment and storage of the gas supply system, and also duringinstallation of the gas supply system, whereby the closed apertureelement effectively performs an added safety feature against leaksacross the valve seat of the gas supply system.

Thereafter, during cycle purging (with inert or other purge gas) of theflow circuitry associated with the gas supply vessel in the gas supplysystem, prior to opening of the flow control valve on the compressed gascylinder, or prior to other inception of active dispensing operation,the aperture would be opened to its maximum extent, while keeping theflow control valve on the compressed gas cylinder closed, to allow theshortest pump down cycles and most efficient exchanges with the purgegas.

The adjustable aperture element could also be used to advantage duringthe compressed gas cylinder filling process, by opening the apertureelement to its maximum extent to allow rapid filling through flowcircuitry associated with the gas supply vessel, of the vessel.Alternatively, a dedicated fill port could be used on the gascontainment vessel, to initially charge the vessel with compressed gas.

As the gas in the adjustable aperture-equipped gas supply system becomesdepleted and its pressure drops, the aperture is successively opened toallow the maximum withdrawal of the gas contents of the gas supplyvessel. The gas dispensing operation preferably is carried out withadjustment of the variable aperture so that at least 90% dispensing ofthe gas from the gas supply vessel is achieved (i.e., so that the heelsat the ultimate conclusion of use of the gas supply system is less than10%), more preferably so that at least 95% dispensing of the gas fromthe gas supply vessel is achieved, and most preferably so that at least98% dispensing of the gas from the gas supply vessel is achieved.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of agas supply system 10 according to one embodiment of the presentinvention.

The gas supply system 10 includes a gas storage and dispensing vessel inthe form of compressed gas cylinder 12. At its upper neck region, thecylinder 12 is joined to a valve head assembly 14 including a valve headblock containing interior flow passages for dispensing of the compressedgas, and an interior gas flow control valve element, which is joined inturn to valve actuator 16. The valve actuator 16 is arranged via signaltransmission line 68 coupled with the central processing unit (CPU) 64,to be selectively actuated to open or close the flow control valve inthe valve head block, as desired.

The valve head block is coupled with a discharge coupling member 18,which in turn is matably engageable with connector 20 joined to the gasdischarge line 22. In this embodiment, a pressure transducer (PT) 24 isarranged for sensing of the pressure of the dispensed gas flowing in gasdischarge line 22. The sensed pressure is employed to generate acorrelative pressure signal, which is transmitted in signal transmissionline 66 to the CPU 66.

The gas discharge line 22 is coupled to the gas flow manifold 26 asshown. Manifold 26 includes a manifold inlet line 28 and a manifoldoutlet line 52. Interconnecting manifold inlet line 28 and manifoldoutlet line 52 are branch flow lines 38, 40, 44 and 48. Branch flow line38 has no flow occlusion element therein, i.e., it is a straight run ofconduit. By contrast, branch lines 40, 44 and 48 contain restricted floworifice (RFO) elements 42, 46 and 50, respectively, therein. Each ofsuch RFO elements 42, 46 and 50 has a different orifice diameter, andhence a different flow conductance.

The manifold outlet line 52 is joined to gas discharge line 54, which inturn is coupled with a downstream gas-consumption facility, e.g., asemiconductor manufacturing tool in a semiconductor manufacturing plant(not shown).

The manifold 26 is equipped with flow control valves 30, 32, 34 and 36,as shown. Each of these valves is selectively openable or closeable bythe CPU 64, which functions as a controller module for the gas supplysystem 10, and is linked to valves 30, 32, 34 and 36 via signaltransmission lines 62, 60, 58 and 56, respectively. By this arrangement,dispensed gas from the compressed gas cylinder 12 flowing in gasdischarge line 22 is selectively flowable into the manifold inlet line28 and then into one of the four interconnecting branch lines 28, 42, 44and 48, depending on which of the valves 30, 32, 34 and 36 is open. Forexample, valves 32, 34 and 36 may be closed and valve 30 open, wherebydispensed gas may be flowed in branch line 48 through RFO 50, having thelowest flow conductance of all the branch lines of the manifold. Gasthen flows at a rate corresponding to the initial highest pressure levelin the gas supply vessel 12 through branch line 8 of the manifold andinto manifold outlet line 52 and then into gas discharge line 54, fordelivery to the downstream gas-consuming unit or process.

Thereafter, when the pressure of the gas in the gas supply vessel 12declines to a lower value, valve 30 is closed, and valve 32 is opened,with all other manifold valves remaining closed. Gas then is flowedthrough the branch line 44 having RFO 46 therein. RFO 46 has thenext-higher flow conductance, in relation to lowest conductance RFO 50,and gas therefore is flowed at a rate through branch line 44 thatmaintains the level flowed through branch line 48 in the initial stagesof operation.

Subsequently, as pressure in the gas supply vessel falls still further,as sensed in the dispensed gas pressure by pressure transducer 24, whichtransmits a corresponding signal in transmission line 66 to the CPU 64,valve 32 is closed, and valve 34 is opened. Gas then flows throughbranch line 40 having RFO 42 therein, which has a next-higher flowconductance in relation to RFO element 46, and flows into the manifoldoutlet line 52 and gas discharge line 54. As gas pressure in the supplyvessel 12 declines further with continued dispensing, as sensed bypressure transducer 24 and relayed to CPU 64 by a signal in signaltransmission line 66, the CPU functions to close valve 34 and to openvalve 36, all other manifold valves remaining closed. Gas the flows fromthe manifold inlet line 28 through line 38 having no RFO elementtherein, and thereby the highest gas flow conductance of all themanifold branch lines, and then into manifold outlet line 52 and gasdischarge line 54 for the final phase of gas dispensing operation untilthe gas supply vessel is exhausted of gas to a final extent ofdepletion.

The gas supply system 10 shown in FIG. 1 thus may be operated withcontinuous monitoring of pressure in gas dispensing line 22 by thepressure transducer 24, by means of a pressure monitoring signaltransmitted from the pressure transducer 24 to the CPU 64, subsequent toinitial actuation by the CPU of the dispensing valve actuator 16, bycorresponding initiation signal in signal transmission line 68.

Thereafter, the CPU 64 sends successive valve opening signals to each ofthe manifold valves 30, 32, 34 and 36 in turn as the pressure sensed bythe transducer 24 declines in the continuing dispensing operation to thepressure set point levels at which next successive valve openingchangeover occurs to flow the dispensed gas in a correspondingly higherconductance branch line of the manifold 26. In this manner, the flowrate and pressure of the dispensed gas are maintained substantiallyconstant throughout the entire period of dispensing operation of the gassupply system 10. The CPU may therefore be programmably arranged so thatthe pressure reduction differential triggering the valve switching isconsistently low enough so that the overall pressure drop during thedispensing operation is minimized, e.g., less than 30 torr overallpressure drop.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a variable size flow apertureassembly 100 according to another embodiment of the invention. Theaperture assembly is associated with a gas dispensing conduit 102through which the dispensed gas from the gas supply system, e.g., a gassupply vessel of the type shown in FIG. 1, is flowed during the gasdispensing operation.

The gas dispensing conduit 102 is equipped with an expandable toroidalbladder 110 defining a central flow opening 112 therewithin. The bladder110 has an interior gas-receiving volume 111 that communicates with gasfeed tube 104 having an open upstream end 106 (upstream with referenceto the downstream bladder 110) in gas flow communication with theinterior gas flow passage of the conduit 102, and joined at its oppositedownstream end with the bladder. The tube 104 extends through the wallof the conduit 102 at its downstream end, extending interiorly forcoupling with the bladder, through ferrule 108, as shown.

By the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, the central opening 112 within thedoughnut-shaped ring of the bladder 110 is minimized during initialoperation of the gas supply system, as the pressure of the flowing gasexpands the interior volume 111 of the bladder 110 to provide arelatively small opening and relatively lower gas flow conductance.

Subsequently, as the pressure decreases, the lower gas pressurecommunicated through the tube 104 inflates the interior volume 111 ofthe bladder 110 to a correspondingly lower extent, resulting in adiminished expansion of the bladder and correspondingly greater openarea of the central opening 112. Thus, the gas flow conductance of thebladder-circumscribed variable size opening 112 increases withdecreasing pressure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a top plan view of the variablesize flow aperture assembly 100 of FIG. 2, taken along line S-S thereof,wherein all elements are numbered correspondingly with respect to thesame elements in FIG. 1. The inner periphery 116 of the bladder 110 thusin the plan view illustrated demarcates a circle bounding the flowpassage opening 112. The position of such inner periphery illustrates alow dispensing gas pressure at a final phase of gas dispensingoperation. At an initial phase of gas dispensing operation, when the gassupply vessel is at a maximum pressure, the inner periphery of thebladder 110 demarcates the circle depicted by dashed line 120. At asubsequent intermediate phase of gas dispensing operation, theintermediate pressure causes the inner periphery of the bladder 110 todemarcate the circle depicted by dashed line 118.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a variable size flow apertureassembly 200 according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

In the FIG. 4 embodiment, a variable size aperture assembly 200 includesan array of shutter vanes 226 arranged as illustrated to define acentral aperture 230 in the view shown. Each of the vanes 226 is joinedat its outer periphery by linkage arm 224 to an outer rotatable ring222, so that successive rotation of the rotatable ring 222 causes thecentral aperture 220 to widen in diameter, e.g., to positions includinga further opened aperture indicated by dashed line 232 and a stillfurther opened aperture indicated by dashed line 234.

The shutter array of vanes is disposed in a downstream portion of a gasdispensing conduit 202, through which dispensed gas is flowed in thedirection indicated by arrow A. On the rotatable ring 222 is provided apivot pin 220 to which a control arm 218 is joined at one end. Thecontrol arm 218 is joined at its opposite end to pivot pin 216, which isalso connected to the push rod 214 affixed to piston 210.

The piston 210 is mounted for reciprocal movement in the interior volume208 of cylinder 206, with the spring 212 serving to bias the piston 210toward the end of the cylinder having gas feed tube 204 joined theretoin gas flow communication with the interior volume 208.

The gas feed tube 204 is connected at an opposite end to the gasdispensing conduit 202, so that gas flows from the interior passage ofthe gas dispensing conduit into the tube 204 and then into the interiorvolume 208 of the cylinder 206.

At initial gas dispensing higher pressure conditions, the gas pressureis higher than the biasing force of the spring 212, and the piston 210is translated toward the back wall of the cylinder, thereby compressingthe spring and causing the push rod 214 to translate the control arm 218so that the rotatable ring 220 is rotated in a counter-clockwisedirection in the view shown, to cause the shutter aperture to berelatively smaller, with lower gas flow conductance.

Subsequently, as the dispensing gas pressure declines, the lowerpressure exerted on the piston 210 causes the rotatable ring 220 to berotated progressively in a clockwise direction, thereby opening theaperture (to the successive opening 232 in an intermediate phase of gasdispensing operation, and thereafter to a subsequent opening 234 in afinal phase of gas dispensing operation). In this manner, the gas flowconductance of the aperture is successively increased to maintain thedispensed gas flow rate substantially constant.

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a variable size flow apertureassembly 300 according to yet another embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, dispensed gas is flowed through a gas dispensingconduit 302 in a direction indicated by arrow A. A fixed-size openingannular ring 318 is disposed in a downstream portion of the conduit, asillustrated.

The fixed-size opening of the annular ring 318 is engaged by a poppetball element 316 joined to a connecting rod 314 that is affixed at anopposite end to piston 312. The piston 312 is mounted in a centrallydisposed cylinder 308 in the interior passage of the conduit 302.

The cylinder encloses with the piston 312 an interior cylinder volume310 that communicates with an upstream portion of the conduit 302 bymeans of a gas feed tube 304 having a first end 306 open to admit thegas from the upstream portion of the conduit 302, so that the pressureof the upstream dispensed gas is communicated through the gas feed tube304 to the cylinder interior volume 310 and translates the poppet ballelement 316 to a nearly closed position, as illustrated.

Subsequently, as the dispensed gas pressure declines in the course ofthe dispensing operation, the reducing gas pressure communicated fromthe upstream portion of the dispensing gas conduit 302 is manifested bya rearward retraction of the poppet ball element 316 under the influenceof the biasing spring 320, so that the flow conductance of the openingdefined by the annular ring 318 is correspondingly increased with theprogressive retraction of the piston 312 and interconnected poppet ballelement 316.

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a variable size flow apertureassembly 400 according to still another embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, dispensed gas is flowed through a gas dispensingconduit 402 in a direction indicated by arrow A. A screen element 404 isdisposed in a downstream portion of the conduit, as illustrated. Thescreen element 404 is a foraminous support for a memory material 410,such as an elastomeric flowable solid, which is exuded onto the screenelement 404 from the circumscribing annular reservoir 408 through wallopenings 406, in response to the upstream pressure in conduit 402 sensedby pressure transducer 440. The circumscribing annular reservoir 408 iscoupled by solid flow conduit 412 to a cylinder 414 containing a sourcemass of the memory material 410.

The pressure transducer 440 is arranged to communicate with the upstreamportion of the conduit 402, by a pressure tap line, and to responsivelytransmit a pressure-indicating signal in signal transmission line 442 tothe actuator module 430. The actuator module 430 may comprise suitablemicroprocessor or other programmable assembly and an associatedelectromechanical driver that is responsive to the pressure-indicatingsignal, to effect translational movement (in either of the opposingdirections indicated by bi-directional arrow B) of the piston rod 422joined to piston 420.

The piston 420 is disposed in cylinder 414 containing the source mass ofthe memory material 410. In response to increasing upstream pressure,the actuator module 430 causes the rightward translation (in the systemas illustrated in FIG. 6) of the piston 420, causing the flow of thememory material 410 from the source mass in cylinder 414 through thesolid flow conduit 412 to the circumscribing annular reservoir 408 fromwhich the memory material flows through openings 406 spaced at regularintervals about the circumference of the wall of the conduit 402, andflows onto the screen to contract the central opening bounded by thescreen-supported memory material.

Conversely, under decreasing pressure conditions sensed by the pressuretransducer 440 in the upstream portion of the conduit 402, a correlativepressure-indicating signal transmitted in signal transmission line 442to the actuator module 430 causes the retraction of the piston 420 inthe cylinder 414, so that the memory material on the screen element 404correspondingly withdraws through holes 406 in the wall of conduit 402,and increases the size of the central opening bounded by thescreen-supported memory material, proportional to the decrease inpressure.

In this manner, the conductance of the variable aperture is modulated inproportion to the pressure sensed by the pressure transducer 440, sothat the gas flow conductance is lower at initial high-pressure gasdispensing conditions and higher at subsequent reduced pressure gasdispensing conditions, so as to maintain the dispensed gas flow ratesubstantially constant, throughout the gas dispensing operation.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of a gas storage and dispensing system500 according to another embodiment of the invention, as partiallybroken away to show the details of the interior components of the gasstorage and dispensing vessel 510.

The gas storage and dispensing vessel 510 as shown is of verticallyupstanding cylindrical shape, having a wall enclosing the interiorvolume 516. The vessel 510 has an upper neck region that is leak-tightlyjoined to the head assembly 512. The head assembly 512 includes a gasdischarge coupling 514 at a face of the head assembly, arranged forcoupling the head assembly of the vessel with a gas dispensing line to adownstream gas-consuming unit or locus, e.g., a semiconductormanufacturing tool.

In the interior volume 516 of the vessel 510 is disposed a pressuresensing device 520 arranged for sensing the gas pressure in the interiorvolume and generating a corresponding output indicative of the pressurelevel. The pressure sensing device 520 is coupled with variable orificedevice 518 via the interconnecting signal transmission line 522. Theoutput signal from the pressure sensing device 520 is transmitted by thesignal transmission line 522 to the variable orifice device 518, tomodulate the size (open area) of the gas flow opening bounded by thevariable orifice therein.

The modulation of the gas flow opening size is correlative to thepressure level in the interior volume that is sensed by the pressuresensing device 520, so that the orifice size changes during gasdispensing, as pressure in the interior volume declines, to maintain asubstantially constant gas flow rate.

The gas flow modulated by the variable orifice device 518 flows fromsuch device through discharge passage 524 coupled to the head assembly512, and is discharged at the outlet port defined by the coupling 514.Head assembly for such purpose has an interior dispensing passage forflow of dispensed gas therethrough. The head assembly in sucharrangement can be equipped with a manual or automatic valve to open orshut the interior dispensing passage, as in a conventional valve headstructure.

Alternatively, the coupling 514 can be joined to a suitable valve orother gas flow control element, for opening the head assembly to gasdispensing. As another modification of the illustrated structure, thevariable orifice device can also be arranged so that it functions withthe orifice totally closed to gas flow during periods other than activedispensing operation, and is only open when the head assembly is coupledwith a gas dispensing line, such as by a mechanical interlock mechanismthat is actuated to free the orifice device for adjustment of the gasflow conductance. The mechanical interlock mechanism can be arranged sothat there is a button, slide, lever or other manually or automaticallyelement on the head assembly that is manipulated to unlock the orificeadjustment structure.

One advantage of the gas storage and dispensing system arrangement shownin FIG. 7 is that the pressure sensing device and orifice adjustmentdevice are interiorly mounted in the interior volume of the vessel. As aresult, these components are protected from the exterior environment ofthe vessel, and are protected by the vessel casing from impact,contamination, etc.

In operation, the variable orifice device of the FIG. 7 system is drivenby the signal from the pressure sensing device, to vary the orificeopening of the variable orifice device, and maintain a substantiallyconstant flow rate of dispensed gas from the gas storage and dispensingsystem.

The gas storage and dispensing vessel 510 in the FIG. 7 system can bearranged with the interior volume 516 holding only compressed gas forselective dispensing, or the interior volume can hold a physical sorbentmedium having sorptive affinity for the gas. In the latter arrangement,gas is stored on the physical sorbent medium in the interior volume,being reversibly adsorbed thereon, and desorbable therefrom underdispensing desorption conditions. The desorption conditions can includea pressure differential effecting desorption of the gas to thedispensing flow circuitry, or selective heating of the physicaladsorbent in the vessel so that it releases the gas via desorption, orby flow of a carrier gas through the sorbent in the interior volume toeffect a concentration gradient that mediates the desorption of the gasfrom the sorbent material.

The physical sorbent for such purpose can comprise any suitable sorbentmaterial having sorptive affinity for the gas to be stored in andsubsequently dispensed from the gas storage and dispensing vessel.Sorbent-based gas storage and dispensing systems of such type are morefully described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,528 to Glenn M. Tom, et al., thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety.

The gas contained in the gas storage and dispensing vessel of FIG. 7 canbe any suitable type, e.g., a gas useful in semiconductor manufacturing,such as hydride gases, halide gases, organometallic source reagentgases, etc. The gas contained in the vessel can be at any suitablepressure, e.g., superatmospheric, atmospheric or subatmospheric. Forexample, atmospheric or subatmospheric gas storage and dispensingsystems of the invention can be utilized for doping or ion implantationapplications in the manufacture of semiconductor products.

It will be appreciated that the invention can be variously embodied toemploy fluid pressure amplification, such as by means of anelectro-pneumatically-based piezoelectric gas pressure amplifier device,to generate a pressure-related dispensed gas pressure-indicating signalfor control purposes, so that extremely small variations in dispensedgas pressure may be compensated by the associated variable gas flowpassage conductance-modulating componentry, to maintain the dispensedgas flow rate substantially constant.

It will also be apparent that the gas flow conductance of the dispensedgas flow circuitry may be modulated or selectively altered in a widevariety of ways, of which the foregoing embodiments are merelyillustrative.

Thus, while the invention has been described herein in reference tospecific aspects, features and illustrative embodiments of theinvention, it will be appreciated that the utility of the invention isnot thus limited, but rather extends to and encompasses numerous otheraspects, features and embodiments, as will suggest themselves to thoseof ordinary skill in the art, based on the disclosure herein.Accordingly, the claims hereafter set forth are intended to becorrespondingly broadly construed, as including all such aspects,features and embodiments, within their spirit and scope.

1. A gas supply system arranged for dispensing of gas at predeterminedflow rate, comprising a gas source vessel and gas dispensing flowcircuitry coupled to said vessel, wherein the gas dispensing flowcircuitry comprises a variable size orifice device arranged fordispensing gas at variable gas flow conductance conditions during gasdispensing operation involving change in amount and pressure of gas insaid gas source vessel, to maintain said predetermined flow rate of thedispensed gas in the operation of the system, wherein the gas dispensingflow circuitry is at least partially disposed in an interior volume ofthe gas source vessel, with the variable size orifice device beingdisposed in said interior volume, and a pressure sensing device disposedin said interior volume, arranged to sense pressure of the gas in saidinterior volume, and coupled in controlling relationship with thevariable size orifice device to vary open area of its orifice inresponse to the sensed pressure of the gas in said interior volume. 2.The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the gas dispensing flowcircuitry comprises at least one pressure sensing device arranged toproduce output(s) indicative of pressure of gas in said gas sourcevessel and coupled in controlling relationship to the variable sizeorifice device to vary open area of its orifice in response to saidoutput(s).
 3. The gas supply system of claim 2, wherein the at least onepressure sensing device comprises device(s) selected from the groupconsisting of: strain gauges coupled to the gas source vessel; pressuretransducer sensors; fluid pressure amplifiers; gas source vessel weightmonitoring assemblies; manometric sensors coupled with an optoelectronicconverter for generating a signal indicative of the manometricallysensed pressure; pressure-responsive translational elements that arcdeflectionally translated to an extent determined by the magnitude ofthe pressure of gas impinged thereon; pressure-responsive colorimetricelements whose spectral character is dependent on the magnitude ofpressure of the dispensed gas; and physisorbing media disposed on asurface acoustic wave (SAW) device, in which the physisorbing medium hasa sorptive affinity for the dispensed gas, arranged so that the extentof the physical adsorption of the gas on the physisorbing medium is acalibrated function of pressure of the dispensed gas.
 4. The gas supplysystem of claim 1, further comprising a gas dispensing controllercoupled in controlling relationship to the adjustable size orificeelement to adjust the size of its orifice.
 5. The gas supply system ofclaim 4, wherein the gas dispensing controller comprises a generalpurpose computer programmatically arranged for controlling theadjustable size orifice element.
 6. The gas supply system of claim 1,wherein the gas source vessel contains a semiconductor manufacturinggas.
 7. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the gas dispensingflow circuitry is coupled to a semiconductor manufacturing tool and saidgas source vessel contains a semiconductor manufacturing gas but doesnot contain an interiorly disposed regulator.
 8. The gas supply systemof claim 1, wherein the gas dispensing flow circuitry comprises aregulator arranged exteriorly of the gas source vessel to compensate fordeclining gas supply pressure during gas dispensing by adjusting thesupply pressure of the dispensed gas to a predetermined value, andwherein the gas source vessel does not contain an interiorly disposedregulator.
 9. The gas supply system of claim 1, wherein the gasdispensing flow circuitry is coupled to a downstream gas-consuming toolor locus, and a mass flow controller is provided at the downstreamgas-consuming tool or locus, to control the amount and rate of gasflowed to said tool or locus.
 10. The gas supply system of claim 1,wherein the gas source vessel contains a physical adsorbent havingsorptive affinity for the gas but does not contain an interiorlydisposed regulator.
 11. A gas supply system arranged for dispensing ofgas at predetermined flow rate, comprising a gas source vessel and gasdispensing flow circuitry coupled to said vessel, wherein the gasdispensing flow circuitry comprises a variable size orifice devicearranged for dispensing gas at variable gas flow conductance conditionsduring gas dispensing operation involving change in amount and pressureof gas in said gas source vessel, to maintain said predetermined flowrate of the dispensed gas in the operation of the system, wherein thevariable size orifice device comprises a voltage sensitive orificeproportional solenoid valve that is coupled with a pressure sensingdevice adapted to sense pressure of gas in said gas source vessel and toresponsively modulate the variable size orifice device.
 12. A method ofdispensing gas at constant pressure and flow rate from a gas sourcevessel, comprising dispensing said gas under selectively variable gasflow conductance conditions through a variable size orifice device,wherein gas flow conductance is selectively varied during dispensing tomaintain a predetermined flow rate of the dispensed gas in the operationof the system involving change in amount and pressure of gas in said gassource vessel, and flowing the dispensed gas after passage through saidvariable size orifice device through a regulator to compensate fordeclining gas supply pressure in said gas source vessel and adjustpressure of the dispensed gas to a constant value, further comprisingsensing pressure of gas in said gas source vessel, and wherein said gasflow conductance is selectively varied by adjustment of the variablesize orifice device during dispensing in response to said sensedpressure.